Headline Manufacturing Training Statistics

The short version: manufacturers are not just short on applicants. They are short on trained people who can run, maintain, program, inspect, and improve modern production systems. That is why training now shows up in hiring, retention, quality, safety, and sales conversations.

#	Statistic	Source
1	US manufacturing could need as many as 3.8 million additional employees between 2024 and 2033.	The Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte
2	As many as 1.9 million manufacturing jobs could go unfilled if skills and applicant gaps are not addressed.	The Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte
3	65% of respondents in NAM's Q1 2024 survey said attracting and retaining talent was their primary business challenge.	The Manufacturing Institute summary of NAM data
4	Advanced manufacturing had 97,500 registered apprentices served in 2025.	Apprenticeship.gov
5	Advanced manufacturing registered apprentices served increased 20% over the past five years.	Apprenticeship.gov
6	The American Manufacturing Apprenticeship Incentive Fund is a $35.8 million initiative to expand registered apprenticeships in manufacturing.	Apprenticeship.gov
7	More than 9 in 10 surveyed manufacturers said they are forming at least one partnership to improve job attraction and retention.	The Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte
8	Surveyed manufacturers are partnering with four or more organizations on average to support workforce strategies.	The Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte
9	47% of surveyed manufacturers said apprenticeships, work studies, or internships would be the most effective way to increase interest in manufacturing careers.	The Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte
10	Workers are 2.7 times less likely to leave in the next twelve months when they feel they can acquire needed future skills.	Deloitte research cited by The Manufacturing Institute

Training Demand and Skills Gap Statistics

For a plant manager, the skills gap is practical. Can the new hire read a print? Can they set up the cell without scrap? Can maintenance diagnose a servo issue before the line is down for half a shift? The data below explains why internal training is becoming a core operating system for manufacturers.

The Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte describe workforce challenges as one of manufacturers' top concerns since Q4 2017, except during the pandemic period.
The same study says the projected gap is driven by demand for higher-level skills as manufacturing work changes.
Manufacturing employment was 12.96 million workers in January 2026, according to NAM's facts dashboard.
Manufacturers contributed $2.94 trillion to the US economy in annualized value-added output, which raises the cost of leaving technical roles unfilled.
Manufacturers accounted for 10.0% of US value-added output, making training capacity a national competitiveness issue.
Manufacturing had 586,000 job openings in January 2026, a direct signal that training pipelines have to fill more than retirements.
NAM reported 75.3% of manufacturers had a positive company outlook in Q1 2026, which means workforce development has to support growth, not just backfill.
NAM reported the Q1 2026 positive outlook was up 5.4 percentage points from the prior quarter.
NAM reported 69.9% of manufacturers had a positive company outlook in Q4 2025.
NAM reported 65.0% of manufacturers had a positive company outlook in Q3 2025.
NAM reported Q3 2025 confidence increased by 10 percentage points.
NAM reported only 55.4% of manufacturers had a positive company outlook in Q2 2025.
NAM reported Q2 2025 optimism dropped by nearly 15 percentage points, showing why manufacturers need training systems that can survive demand swings.
Trade uncertainties were cited by 76.2% of manufacturers as a top concern in Q1 2025, which increases the value of cross-training when production schedules change.
Nearly 40% of manufacturers said expiring tax incentives had already affected investment decisions in Q1 2024, including investments that support workforce capacity.

Plant-floor takeaway

A manufacturer can buy equipment faster than it can build judgment. Training needs to start before the new line arrives, not after operators are already chasing scrap and downtime.

Apprenticeship and Work-Based Learning Statistics

Apprenticeships work because they connect classroom instruction to real equipment, real tolerances, and real shift pressure. They are especially useful for roles where tribal knowledge used to live in the head of one senior machinist, technician, or setup lead.

Registered Apprenticeship is described by Apprenticeship.gov as a proven solution to recruit, train, and retain advanced manufacturing talent.
Apprenticeship.gov identifies aerospace, automotive, biotechnology, shipbuilding, semiconductors, and nuclear energy as critical advanced manufacturing sectors supported by apprenticeship pathways.
Advanced manufacturing apprenticeships served 97,500 apprentices in 2025.
Advanced manufacturing apprentices served rose 20% over five years.
The American Manufacturing Apprenticeship Incentive Fund provides $35.8 million to expand manufacturing registered apprenticeships.
The incentive fund is led by Arkansas' Department of Commerce, Division of Workforce Services.
The Department of Labor reports that there were more than 800,000 apprentices served across all industries in recent national apprenticeship data.
DOL apprenticeship data reports more than 100,000 apprentices completed programs across industries in recent annual data.
DOL says apprentices earn approximately $300,000 more over their careers than peers who do not complete an apprenticeship.
DOL reports that 93% of apprentices retain employment after completing a registered apprenticeship.
DOL states that employers can build apprenticeship programs using an industry-vetted curriculum tied to paid on-the-job training.
NIST MEP positions manufacturing apprenticeships as a tool for addressing hiring challenges among small and midsize manufacturers.
Manufacturers surveyed by Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute identified apprenticeships, work studies, or internships as the most effective career-interest strategy at 47%.
Mack Trucks' Lehigh Valley Operations described apprentices building skills directly on company equipment, a model cited by Apprenticeship.gov as a manufacturing example.
The DOL's Apprenticeship Building America grants included $244 million to expand registered apprenticeships in high-demand fields.

Training Partnership and Talent Pipeline Statistics

The best plants do not wait for perfect candidates to show up. They build relationships with technical colleges, high schools, workforce boards, and industry groups so future operators and technicians see manufacturing before they choose another field.

#	Partnership statistic	Source
41	More than 9 in 10 manufacturers surveyed by Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute formed at least one partnership to improve attraction and retention.	MI and Deloitte
42	Those surveyed manufacturers averaged four or more partnerships.	MI and Deloitte
43	73% of surveyed manufacturers partnered with technical colleges.	MI and Deloitte
44	58% partnered with industry associations.	MI and Deloitte
45	48% partnered with universities.	MI and Deloitte
46	47% partnered with state and regional economic development agencies.	MI and Deloitte
47	44% partnered with K-12 schools.	MI and Deloitte
48	The Manufacturing Institute says many partnerships are geared toward building, using, and supporting training programs.	MI and Deloitte
49	The Manufacturing Institute's Manufacturing Day is described as a national effort to show students, parents, and educators what modern manufacturing careers look like.	Manufacturing Day
50	CareerOneStop maintains an advanced manufacturing competency model that employers can use to align training with foundational, workplace, academic, and technical competencies.	CareerOneStop

Digital, AI, and Technical Skills Statistics

Digital training does not replace practical know-how. It adds a new layer. A maintenance tech still needs to understand pumps, drives, heat, vibration, and wear patterns. Now that same tech may also need to read sensor dashboards, work with a CMMS, and troubleshoot a connected asset.

The Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte say accelerating demand for digital skills-based jobs is a central reason manufacturers need workforce strategies.
The study says companies investing in upskilling through training, technology, and employee-focused policies are better positioned for growth.
The World Economic Forum reports that 44% of workers' skills are expected to be disrupted over a five-year period in its Future of Jobs research.
The World Economic Forum reports that 6 in 10 workers will require training before 2027.
The World Economic Forum reports that only half of workers are seen as having access to adequate training opportunities.
WEF lists analytical thinking and creative thinking among the top skills employers expect workers to need.
The International Federation of Robotics reported 4.66 million industrial robots operating in factories worldwide in 2024.
IFR reported 542,000 industrial robots were installed worldwide in 2024.
IFR reported the automotive industry installed 135,000 robots worldwide in 2024.
IFR reported the electrical and electronics industry installed 137,000 robots worldwide in 2024.
IFR reported the metal and machinery sector installed 64,000 robots worldwide in 2024.
The ARM Institute reports that its RoboticsCareer.org resource maps robotics career pathways for manufacturing workers, educators, and employers.
NIST MEP says manufacturers need workforce approaches that include recruiting, training, and retaining skilled employees.
The Manufacturing Institute's digital skills report says manufacturers should build talent ecosystems through partnerships, apprenticeships, and education.
The same digital skills report connects future growth to skills required by technology, automation, and artificial intelligence.

Safety and Compliance Training Statistics

Training has to protect output and people. When a shop adds new equipment, new chemicals, new lockout points, or new temporary labor, the training plan has to keep up.

OSHA's lockout/tagout standard applies to servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment where unexpected startup or stored energy could injure employees.
OSHA says compliance with the lockout/tagout standard prevents an estimated 120 fatalities and 50,000 injuries each year.
OSHA estimates workers injured from exposure to hazardous energy lose an average of 24 workdays for recuperation.
OSHA requires powered industrial truck operators to receive training and evaluation before operating a forklift.
OSHA's powered industrial truck standard requires operator performance evaluation at least once every three years.
OSHA requires refresher training for powered industrial truck operators after unsafe operation, an accident or near miss, a different truck type, or a changed workplace condition.
OSHA reports that falls, slips, and trips were among the leading causes of workplace fatalities across private industry, which keeps safety training on the agenda for manufacturers with mezzanines, platforms, and loading docks.
The National Safety Council estimates workplace injuries cost employers $176.5 billion in 2023.
NSC estimates the cost per medically consulted workplace injury was $43,000 in 2023.
NSC estimates the cost per workplace death was $1.46 million in 2023.

Training Budget and Delivery Benchmarks

Manufacturing training is usually a mix of hands-on instruction, vendor training, safety refreshers, quality system updates, apprenticeship-related instruction, and supervisor coaching. The numbers below give a yardstick for budgeting and format decisions.

Training magazine reported US training expenditures reached $102.8 billion in 2025.
Training magazine reported US training expenditures were $98 billion in 2024.
Training magazine reported average large-company training expenditures decreased from $13.3 million in 2024 to $11.7 million in 2025.
Training magazine reported midsize company training expenditures stayed near $1.6 million in 2025.
Training magazine reported manufacturers and distributors offered 64 hours of training per employee in its 2024 industry report.
Training magazine reported average training hours across industries were 47 hours per employee in 2024.
Training magazine reported midsize companies delivered 53 hours per employee in 2024.
Training magazine reported small companies delivered 42 hours per employee in 2024.
Training magazine reported manufacturers and distributors devoted the largest share of training expenditures to non-exempt employees at 37% in 2024.
Training providers surveyed by Training magazine identified AI and better instructional design as a common training trend for 2026.

How Manufacturers Should Use This Data

If you're selling training, staffing, software, robotics, maintenance services, recruiting, or industrial education, this data gives you a cleaner way to frame the problem. Do not tell manufacturers they need a generic learning culture. Show the line-level issue: open roles, retiring knowledge, new digital skills, higher equipment complexity, and the cost of avoidable mistakes.

For manufacturers, the lesson is just as direct. Training cannot be left to whoever has time on second shift. The plants that build repeatable training systems will fill roles faster, keep more people, and get more output from the same capital equipment.

75+ Manufacturing Training Statistics for 2026

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